The Youth in Duluth
Duluth has been called the “gateway to the Boundary Waters” and holds a special place in the hearts of many who pass through on summer trips. Its continued growth in recent years is tied to the city's proximity to the Wilderness and recognition of the value of living in an outdoors-friendly community. We took a look at how all that is guiding Duluth forward and the people who are making this playground their home.
Recently, Duluth's growth caught the attention of the StarTribune this April, which named the harbor city the "Outdoor Capital of the Midwest":
In 2015, the most recent research data available, 6.7 million people visited Duluth, nearly doubling the 3.5 million annual visitors the city cited previously (the 2015 data represents the first comprehensive study in years). Now, a burst of new outdoors companies, restaurants and other businesses are cropping up to take advantage of the rising demand.
Breaching Thompson Hill on I-35 North, visitors are met with an impressive view of Lake Superior and the iconic lift bridge, the skyline and the industry that made Duluth possible. Signs of its industrial roots are everywhere: massive taconite piles, rail lines and in the harbor, 1,000-foot-long ocean-going freight ships, taking resources all over the world. Duluth--home to clean water, old industries and easy access to the outdoors, is being transformed by people who recognize its potential.
The Duluth of the 21st century has a new vitality. New businesses and industries are on the rise. From craft breweries to a booming regional tourism economy to a flourishing creative scene, Duluth is the next place to be. The revitalization, it seems, stems from a yearning to be close to the woods and waters that make northeastern Minnesota unique. Recnetly named the "Fittest City in America" by Fitbit and the "Best Town in America" by Outside Magazine in 2014, Duluth's accessibility to the Boundary Waters Wilderness and the North Shore is second to none.
But who are these people who don’t just pass through? Those who take risks by settling here, bringing along their industries and small businesses, and passionately advocating for our waters? Why have they come to Duluth, and more importantly for the future of this town, why do they stay? Many are converts--folks that made the choice to emigrate from the Twin Cities to Duluth, escaping the cities.
Minnpost: "[Duluth’s] continuing vitality shows that successful cities are not just the preordained outcome of economic conditions; they are the creation of dedicated citizens who care deeply about the place they call home."
In our quest for answers, we reached out to a few young movers and shakers--those risk takers who proudly live, work and play in this former industrial port city:
JT Haines is a union organizer by day. “I get into bikes, hikes, dogs, music, soccer (Port City Shaolin), beer, smoked fish and clean water with the rest of my time,” he said. “I grew up on the Range, went to high school in the 'burbs, lived my post-college years in the Cities, and then moved to Duluth on May 1, 2015. My first night in Duluth was a Friday during the Homegrown Music Festival. I biked into town via the Lakewalk, snapped a photo with Lifty (the lift bridge) on the way, saw 500 shows and returned home never. I was hooked before I even made it downtown.” Haines works in the community as a volunteer organizer with Duluth for Clean Water, a growing association seeking a safe and healthy future for Duluth, the Lake and surrounding areas. Clean water, he said, is fundamental. “I love Duluth. Imma leave it at that.”
Hannah Dittberner is the theatre and events manager at Zeitgeist, a community arts non-profit theatre and cafe. She explained that she never really felt like St. Paul was her place and often found herself in Duluth on weekends. The community felt accessible and the idea of starting her career in events and theatre management was much more appealing in Duluth rather than the competitive Minneapolis-St. Paul scene. “[There’s] so much going on here and everyone is giving an honest effort,” she said.
Nick Anderson, a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School, expressed that Duluth appealed to him more than the Twin Cities for beginning his career as an attorney: “the leadership opportunities are so much more accessible here," adding, “it’s much easier to be a contributing member of the community. We liked the idea of being able to camp, climb, hike and fish on the weekends without the drive--being on the Lake and close to the Superior Hiking Trail and the BWCA really means a lot to our quality of life. That coupled with the growing group of young entrepreneurs makes Duluth the perfect city for us.”
Being in Duluth is relatively new for the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters. Northeast Regional Organizer Ingrid Lyons moved up to Duluth in the Fall of 2015, and Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters Outreach Coordinator Piper Donlin joining her about a year later. We deeply value having Campaign representation here because the Zenith City represents a unique intersection between the Twin Cities and Ely, with its own perspective and space for an engaged and entrepreneurial citizenry. The people and issues specific to this place are constantly pushing us as organizers to challenge our assumptions of what works and does not work in the world of advocacy--forcing us to go further, dig our heels deeper into this amazing community and look beyond the work day. Ultimately, it’s a place where you can make your voice heard if you believe you have something to say--where people will listen and where you can find the space to make an impact.
It’s the sense of possibility and the people who are taking advantage of it that are shaping Duluth’s future, with the underlying premise that clean water will always be there to support them. These strong, sustainable foundations will surely carry Duluth forward, and we can’t wait to be a part of it. Those of us who live here are lucky to watch the creation of a sustainable economy built on tourism, arts, wilderness and clean water. We are willing to fight for the economy that flourishes because of this stunning lake and beautiful Wilderness area, not in spite of it.
Piper Donlin is a native Minnesotan who has spent many years exploring the Northwoods and Boundary Waters. She works as the Sporting Outreach Coordinator for Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters. Piper received her master’s from the University of Oslo’s Center for Development and the Environment and attended the University of Minnesota where she studied environmental science, policy and management.
Ingrid Lyons has been an expert at riding in the middle of a canoe since the age of 4. She was born and raised in the hustle and bustle of Brooklyn, New York, but always felt extremely fortunate to be able to escape to the Boundary Waters and surrounding areas each summer. Having graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, in June 2015 with a degree in environmental studies, Ingrid is excited to be working for the Campaign as Northeast Regional Organizer.
